"I don't like to go like this," he said, "but go I will. I have always looked on you as a brave man, Denham, so I will make this last appeal to you. Will you come with me and help me to save my father and the doctor?" "No, sir, I won't," said the man gruffly. "Nor your own friends and companions?" "No, sir." Mark sighed. "Then I appeal to you, Dan. You will not let us two go alone?" "Can't be done, sir," said the little sailor, shaking his head. "Do you mean this, Dan?" "Yes, sir," replied Dan, after glancing at his big companion. "Very well," said Mark quietly. "I have no right to ask it. Come along, Dean; we will go alone." Making an effort over his weakness, he strode off as nearly as he could guess in the direction of the ruins, walking fairly steadily now, neither of the pair attempting to look back, and the forest was so silent that the soft rustling of the two lads amongst the leaves sounded loud and strange. They were walking in Indian file, for Mark had told his cousin to take the lead, and immersed in their own thoughts upon the desperate nature of the attempt they were about to make, they went on and on, in and out amongst the trees that grew more open as they progressed for quite an hour, when coming upon a patch of mossy stones Mark uttered the word, "Rest," and setting the example he sank down upon one of the stones, to lean his head upon his hand. "Do you feel weak?" asked Dean. Mark shook his head. "No," he said; "I am getting stronger. We will go on again in a few minutes, and who knows what may happen? I feel that we shall save them yet. Ah!" he cried. For all at once the little figure of the pigmy stood before them, holding his spear across his breast as if to bar their way. "Look at that, Dean," cried Mark. "Faithful and true to us as ever, even when those three men have forsaken us." "They have not," said Dean. "Look." Startled by his cousin's tones, Mark turned from the little black, to realise the fact that the three men whom they had left must have taken a circuitous course under the pigmy's guidance, cut them off by the scattered stones where they were resting, and were now coming straight towards them. "Then you have repented, Buck?" cried Mark eagerly. "No, sir." "Then why are you here?" said the boy, starting to his feet, and catching at his cousin's arm, for his weakness seemed to be returning. "Because we think, Dan and I, that we have let you go on in your own way long enough. It won't do, Mr Mark, and you must come back with us; eh, Dan?" "That's right, Mr Mark, sir. I never started mutiny before, but I am in for it now. We have ris' against our officers, and you are both prisoners." "Prisoners!" cried Mark wildly. "You will not dare--" "Yes, my lad." "Here, Mak!" cried Mark fiercely. "And you too," he continued, turning upon the pigmy; "you will stand by us, after all?"